Ottawa MP Paul Dewar seems ready to declare his desire to be the next leader of the federal New Democratic Party.
In an invitation sent Wednesday to party members, Mr. Dewar said he would be making an announcement at a downtown hotel in Ottawa on Sunday.
In English, he said the news would be "important." In French, he said it would be "unforgettable."
Given that an announcement that he was not joining the race could hardly be described as "unforgettable," the obvious conclusion is that he is in.
He will join former party president Brian Topp and Quebec MP Romeo Saganash as the only declared candidates in the contest to succeed Jack Layton – unless others step forward between now and Sunday.
Mr. Dewar, his party's foreign affairs critic, has made it clear that he wants to be the next leader but – like other NDP MPs who are considering a bid – he was weighing his support and his resources.
After his party's weekly caucus meeting Wednesday, Mr. Dewar said: "I will be making an announcement on Sunday and I will be talking about the leadership race and talking about my hopes and asiprations for tthe party."
NDP House Leader Thomas Mulcair, from Quebec, has also said he is interested in the job but has questioned his chances of winning given the small number of paid-up party members in his province.
MPs Peter Julian and Nathan Cullen from British Columbia, Manitoba's Niki Ashton and Robert Chisholm from Nova Scotia have also mused about joining the race.